Vietnam Destination Guide

7/24/2019 Vietnam Destination Guide

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DESTINATION

TRAVELER’S GUIDE



DISCLAIMER: All information in this printed material was provided in good faith and derived from sources believed to be current and accurate as ofthe date of publication, however it is provided for general information only and is not intended as advice and must not be relied upon as such. Alluring Asia Inc. makes no representation or warranty that the information contained herein is complete, current, or reliable, nor do we accept responsibility

arising in any way for errors in, or omissions from this material. We value and welcome your input. If there is anything you believe is either out of dateor inaccurate contained in this printed information we welcome you to contact us at [email protected].

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nside this guide:

PAGE 3Population | Time | VisasInsurance | History

PAGE 4-7History PAGE 8Language

PAGE 9Climate

PAGE 10-11People

PAGE 12Currency | Credit CardsChanging Money | Tipping PAGE 13Etiquette | TaxisSafety & theft

PAGE 14Communications | What to PackHealth & Vaccinations

PAGE 15-16Shopping | Customs | ExportsBartering

PAGE 17-19Food & Drinks

PAGE 20-22Culture & The Arts | Religion

PAGE 23-24Religion

PAGE 14-15Culture & The Arts

PAGE 16Religion



HISTORY The origins of the Vietnamese people are shrouded in legend. Recentarchaeological finds indicate that the earliest human habitation ofnorthern Vietnam goes back about 500,000 years. Mesolithic andNeolithic cultures existed in northern Vietnam 10,000 years ago; thesegroups may have engaged in primitive agriculture as early as 7000 BC.The sophisticated Bronze Age Dong Son culture emerged around the 13thcentury BC.

From the 1st to the 6th centuries AD, the south of what is now Vietnamwas part of the Indianised kingdom of Funan, which produced notablyrefined art and architecture. The Funanese constructed an elaboratesystem of canals which were used for both transportation and theirrigation of wet rice agriculture. One of the most extraordinary artifactsfound at Oc-Eo was a gold Roman medallion dated 152 AD and bearingthe likeness of Antoninus Pius.

The Hindu kingdom of Champa appeared around present-day Danang inthe late 2nd century. Like Funan, it became Indianised (eg. the Chamsadopted Hinduism, employed Sanskrit as a sacred language and

borrowed a great deal from Indian art) by lively commercial relationswith India and through the immigration of Indian literati and priests.

CHINESE RULE (circa 200 BC to 938 AD)When the Chinese conquered the Red River Delta in the 2nd century BC,they found a feudally organized society based on hunting, fishing andslash-and-burn agriculture; these proto-Vietnamese also carried on tradewith other peoples in the area. Over the next few centuries, significant

numbers of Chinese settlers, officials and scholars moved to the RedRiver Delta, taking over large tracts of land. The Chinese tried to imposea centralized state system on the Vietnamese and to forcibly Sinicise theirculture, but local rulers made use of the benefits of Chinese civilization totenaciously resist these efforts.

The most famous act of resistance against the Chinese during this periodwas the Rebellion of the Trung Sisters (Hai Ba Trung). In 40 AD, theChinese executed a high-ranking feudal lord. His widow and her sister,the Trung Sisters, rallied tribal chieftains, raised an army and led a revolt

that compelled the Chinese governor to flee. The sisters then hadthemselves proclaimed queens of the newly independent Vietnameseentity. In 43 AD, however, the Chinese counterattacked and defeated theVietnamese; rather than surrender, the Trung Sisters threw themselvesinto the Hat Giang River.

The early Vietnamese learned a great deal from the Chinese, includingthe use of the metal plough and domesticated beasts of burden and theconstruction of dikes and irrigation works. These innovations madepossible the establishment of a culture based on rice growing, whichremains the basis of the Vietnamese way of life to this day. As food

POPULATION Vietnam has a population of slightlyover 88 million who primarily residealong the coast and in the lowlandprovinces of the Red and Mekongriver deltas.

TIMEVietnam is GMT plus 7

VISASUnited States Citizens require a Visa.Your passport must be valid for atleast 6 months from the date ofarrival into Vietnam.

INSURANCEBecause the standard of emergencytreatment in Vietnam is not as highas in the West, it is advisable inaddition to normal medicalinsurance, to take out a policy whichcovers evacuation.



ecame more plentiful, the population grew, forcinghe Vietnamese to seek new lands on which to grow

rice.

During this era, Vietnam was a key port of call on thesea route between China and India. The Vietnamesewere introduced to Confucianism and Taoism byChinese scholars who came to Vietnam as

administrators and refugees. Indians sailing eastwardrought Theravada (Hinayana) Buddhism to the RedRiver Delta while, simultaneously, Chinese travelersntroduced Mahayana Buddhism. Buddhist monks

carried with them the scientific and medicalknowledge of the civilizations of India and China; as aresult, Vietnamese Buddhists soon counted amongheir own great doctors, botanists and scholars.

INDEPENDENCE FROM CHINA (10th Century)

In the aftermath of the collapse of the Tang Dynasty inChina in the early 10th century, the Vietnameserevolted against Chinese rule. In 938 AD. Ngo Quyenvanquished the Chinese armies at a battle on the BachDang River, ending 1000 years of Chinese rule.

LY DYNASTY (1010-1225)From the 11th to the 13th centuries, the independenceof the Vietnamese Kingdom (Dai Viet) wasconsolidated under the emperors of the Ly Dynasty,

founded by Ly Thai To. They reorganized theadministrative system, founded the nation's firstuniversity (the Temple of Literature in Hanoi),promoted agriculture and built the first embankmentsfor flood control along the Red River. Confucian

scholars fell out of official favor because of their closecultural links to China; at the same time, the early Lymonarchs, whose dynasty had come to power withBuddhist support, promoted Buddhism. TheConfucian philosophy of government and society,emphasizing educational attainment, ritualperformance and government authority, reasserteditself with the graduation of the first class from the

Temple of Literature in 1075. Following years of study which emphasized classicaleducation, these scholars went into government service

becoming what the West came to call mandarins.During the Ly Dynasty, the Chinese, Khmers andChams repeatedly attacked Vietnam but were repelled,most notably under the renowned strategist andtactician Ly Thuong Kiet (1030-1105), a militarymandarin of royal blood who is still revered as anational hero.

TRAN DYNASTY (1225-1400)After years of civil strife, the Tran Dynasty overthrewthe Ly Dynasty. The Tran increased the land undercultivation to feed the growing population andimproved the dikes on the Red River.

After the dreaded Mongol warrior Kublai Khancompleted his conquest of China in the mid-13thcentury, he demanded the right to cross Vietnameseterritory on his way to attack Champa. The Vietnameserefused this demand but the Mongols - 500,000 of them- came anyway. The outnumbered Vietnamese underTran Hung Dao attacked the invaders and forced them

back to China, but the Mongols returned, this timewith 300,000 men. Tran Hung Dao then lured themdeep into Vietnamese territory; at high tide he attackedthe Mongol fleet as it sailed on the Bach Dang River,ordering a tactical retreat of his forces to lure theMongols into staying and fighting. The battlecontinued for many hours until low tide, when asudden Vietnamese counteroffensive forced theMongol boats back, impaling them on steel-tipped

bamboo stakes set in the river bed the night before.The entire fleet was captured or sunk.

When the Tran Dynasty was overthrown in 1400 by HoQui Ly, both the Tran loyalists and the Chams (whohad sacked Hanoi in 1371) encouraged Chineseintervention. The Chinese readily complied with the

request and took control of Vietnam in 1407, imposing

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a regime characterized by heavy taxation and slave labor; Chinese cultureand ways of doing things were forced on the population.

LATER LE DYNASTY (1428-1524)Le Loi was born into a large and prosperous family in the village of LamSon in Thanh Hoa Province and earned a reputation for using his wealth toaid the poor. The ruling Chinese invited him to join the mandarinate buthe refused. In 1418, Le Loi began to organize what came to be known asthe Lam Son Uprising, traveling around the countryside to rally the peopleagainst the Chinese. After his victory in 1428, Le Loi declared himselfEmperor Ly Thai To, thus beginning the later Le Dynasty. To this day, LeLoi is revered as one of Vietnam's greatest national heroes.

The Latter Le Dynasty ruled until 1524 and, nominally, up to 1788. Le Loand his successors instituted a vast program of agrarian reform and landredistribution. They also launched a campaign to take over Cham lands tothe south. In the 15th century Laos was forced to recognize Vietnamesesuzerainty.

Under the Le Dynasty, an attempt was made to break free of the culturaland intellectual domination of Chinese civilization. In the realms of law,religion and literature, indigenous traditions were brought to the fore. TheVietnamese language gained favor among scholars - who had previouslydisdained it, preferring Chinese - and a number of outstanding works ofliterature were produced. legal reforms gave women almost-equal rightsin the domestic sphere, but two groups were excluded from full civilrights; slaves (many of them prisoners of war and, oddly, actors.

TRINH & NGUYEN LORDSThroughout the 17th and 18th centuries, Vietnam was divided between theTrinh Lords, who ruled in the north under the titular kingship of the LaterLe monarchs, and the Nguyen Lords, who controlled the south and alsonominally recognized the Later Le Dynasty. The Trinh Lords repeatedlyfailed in attempts to take over areas under Nguyen control, in part becausethe Portuguese weaponry used by the Nguyen was far superior to theDutch armaments supplied to the Trinh.

Buddhism enjoyed the patronage and support of both the Trinh and the

Nguyen, and pagodas were built all over the country. But by this timeVietnamese Buddhism was no longer doctrinally pure, having becomeintermingled with animism, ancestor-worship and popularized Taoism.

The Dynasties ofIndependent Vietnam: Ngo Dynasty 939-965

Dinh Dynasty 968-980 Early Le Dynasty 980-1009 Ly Dynasty 1010-1225 Tran Dynasty 1225-1400 Ho Dynasty 1400-1407 Post-Tran Dynasty 1407-1413

Chinese Rule 1414-1427

Later Le Dynasty 1428-1524Mac Dynasty 1527-1592 Trinh Lordsof the North 1539-1787 Nguyen Lordsof the South 1558-1778 Tay Son Dynasty 1788-1802 Nguyen Dynasty 1802-1945



TAY SON REBELLION (1771-1802)In 1765, a rebellion against misgovernment brokeout in the town of Tay Son near Qui Nhon. It wasled by three brothers from a wealthy merchantfamily; Nguyen Nhac, Nguyen Hue and Nguyen Lu.By 1773, the Tay Son Rebels (as they came to beknown) controlled the whole of central Vietnam, andin 1783 the captured Saigon and the rest of the southkilling the reigning prince and his family (as well as10,000 Chinese residents of Cholon). Nguyen Lu

became king of the south, and Nguyen Nhac becameking of central Vietnam.

The Tay Son overthrew the Trinh lords in the northand proclaimed allegiance to the Later Le Dynasty.Taking advantage of the unstable situation, theChinese sent 200,000 troops to Vietnam under thepretext of helping the emperor. In 1788, withpopular sentiment on his side, one of the Tay Son

brothers, Nguyen Hue, proclaimed himself EmperorQuang Trung and set out with his army to expel the

Chinese

In the south, Nguyen Anh, whose forces weretrained by Pigneau de Behaine's young Frenchadventurers, gradually pushed back the Tay Son. In1802, Nguyen Anh proclaimed himself Emperor GiaLong, thus beginning the Nguyen Dynasty. Whenhe captured Hanoi, his victory was complete, and forthe first time in two centuries, Vietnam was united.Hue became the new national capital.

EARLY CONTACT WITH THE WESTAccording to Chinese records, the first Vietnamesecontact with Europeans took place in 166 AD whentravelers from the Rome of Marcus Aurelius arrivedin the Red River Delta.

The first Portuguese sailors landed in Danang in1516; they were followed by Dominican missionaries

11 years later. During the next few decades thePortuguese began to trade with Vietnam, setting up acommercial colony alongside those of the Japaneseand Chinese at Faifo (present-day Hoi An nearDanang).

Franciscan missionaries from the Philippines settledin central Vietnam in 1580, followed in 1615 by theJesuits, who had just been expelled from Japan. In1637, the Dutch were authorized to set up tradingposts in the north, and one of the Le Kings even tooka Dutch woman as one of his six wives.

One of the most illustrious of the early missionarieswas the brilliant French Jesuit Alexandre de Rhodes(1591-166). He is most recognized for his work indevising quoc ngu, the Latin-based phonetic alphabetin which Vietnamese is written to this day. Over thecourse of his long career, de Rhodes flitted back andforth between Hanoi, Macau, Rome and Paris,seeking support and funding for his missionaryactivities and battling both Portuguese colonialopposition and the intractable Vatican bureaucracy.In 1645, he was sentenced to death for illegallyentering Vietnam to proselytize but was expelledinstead' two of the priests with him were beheaded.

By the late 17th century most of the Europeanmerchants were gone; trade with Vietnam had notproved particularly profitable. But the missionariesremained, and the Catholic Church eventually had a

greater impact on Vietnam than on any country inAsia except the Philippines, which was ruled by theSpanish for 400 years.



NGUYEN DYNASTY (1802-1945)Gia Long (reigned 1802-19) initiated a policy of massivereassertion of Confucian values and institutions in ordero consolidate the dynasty's shaky position of the elite.

He also began a large scale program of public works(dikes, canals, roads, ports, bridges, land reclamation) torehabilitate the country, which had been devastated byalmost three decades of warfare. The Mandarin Roadinking the national capital, Hue, to both Hanoi and

Saigon was constructed during this period, as was astring of star-shaped citadels - built according to theprinciples of the French military architect Vauban - inprovincial capitals. All these projects imposed a heavyurden on the population in the form of taxation,

military conscription and corvee (forced labor).

Gia Long's son, Emperor Minh Mang (reigned 1820-40),worked to consolidate the state and establish a strongcentral government. Minh Mang was profoundly hostileo Catholicism, which he saw as a threat to the

Confucian state, and he extended this antipathy to allWestern influences. Seven missionaries and anunknown number of Vietnamese Catholics wereexecuted in the 1830s. Serious uprisings broke out inoth the north and south during this period, growing

progressively more serious in the 1840s and 1850s. Tomake matters worse, the civil unrest in the deltas wasaccompanied by smallpox epidemics, tribal uprisings,drought, locusts and - most serious of all - repeatedreaches in the Red River dikes, the result of

government neglect.

Minh Mang was succeeded by Emperor Thieu Tri(reigned 1841-47), who expelled most of the foreignmissionaries. He was followed by Emperor Tu Duc(reined 1848-83), who continued to rule according toconservative Confucian precepts and in imitation ofQing practices in China. Both responded to rural unreswith repression.

FRENCH RULE (1859-1954)Ever since Pigneau de Behaine's patronage of NguyenAnh in the late 18th century and his son Canh'sappearance at Versailles in 1787, certain segments ofFrench society had retained an active interest inIndochina. But it was not until the Revolution of 1848and the advent of the Second Empire that there arose acoalition of interest - Catholic, commercial, patriotic,strategic and idealistic (fans of the mission civilisatricewith sufficient influence to initiate large-scale, long-ter

colonial efforts.

France's military activity in Vietnam began in 1847,when the French navy attacked Danang harbor inresponse to Thieu Tri's actions against Catholicmissionaries. In 1858, a joint military force of 14 shipfrom France and the Spanish colony of the Philippinesstormed Danang after the killing of several missionarieAs disease began to take a heavy toll and the expectedsupport from Catholic Vietnamese failed to materializethe force left a small garrison in Danang and followed



he monsoon winds southward, seizing Saigon inearly 1859.

The French victory in the 1861 Battle of Ky Hoa (ChiHoa) marked the beginning of the end of formal,organized Vietnamese military action against theFrench in the south and the rise of popular guerrillaresistance led by the local scholar-gentry, who had

refused en masse to collaborate with the Frenchadministration. This resistance took the form ofambushing French river craft, denying food supplieso French bases and assassinating collaborators.

In 1862, Tu Duc signed a treaty that gave the Frenchhe three eastern provinces of Cochin China. In

addition, missionaries were promised the freedom toproselytize everywhere in the country, several portswere opened to French and Spanish commerce, and

Tu Duc undertook to pay a large indemnity. To raisehe necessary cash he authorized the sale of Opium inhe north and sold the monopoly to the Chinese.

Throughout the colonial period, the vast majority ofVietnamese retained a strong desire to have theirnational independence restored. Seething nationalistaspirations often broke out into open defiance of theFrench, which took forms ranging from thepublishing of patriotic periodicals and books to anattempt to poison the French garrison in Hanoi.

GOVERNMENT The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is governedhrough a highly centralized system dominated byhe Vietnamese Communist Party. As the force

controlling the system, the party exercises leadershipn all matters. The government manages state affairshrough a structure that parallels the party's

apparatus, but it is incapable of acting without partydirection. All key government positions are filled byparty members. A new atmosphere ofexperimentation and reform came after the sixthnational party congress held in December 1986. It wasapparently reinforced by reforms initiated by theSoviet Union's new leadership, setting the stage for aperiod of self-examination, the elimination of corruptparty officials, and new economic policies.

LANGUAGEThe Vietnamese language (kinh) is a fusion of Mon-Khmer, Tai and Chinese elements. From themonotonic Mon-Khmer languages, Vietnamesederived a significant percentage of its basic words.From the Tai languages, it adopted certaingrammatical elements and tonality. Chinese gaveVietnamese most of its philosophical, literary,technical and governmental vocabulary as well as itstraditional writing system. The most widely spokenforeign languages in Vietnam are Chinese (Cantoneseand Mandarin), English and French.

COMMON PHRASES in KHMEREnglish VietnameseHello Xin chaoHow are you? Khoe khong?Thank you Cam onYou're welcome Khong sao dauGoodbye Tam bietPlease Lam onI'm sorry Xin loiWhat is your name? Anh ten la gri?English VietnameseYes VangNo KhongMy name is _________. Toi ten laWhere is the toilet? Cau tieu o dauHow do I get to ________? Lam sao toi den _____?Water NuocHow Much (money) Is? Bahw nyee-oh thee-uhn



CLIMATEThe climate in Vietnam differs greatly between North and South, though both regions experience monsoons.From November to April, the North is cool and dry, while May to October is hot and rainy. North of NhaTrang, the central coast has a similar climate with cool, wet weather between December and February in thewinter monsoon season. The seasons tend to begin a bit later in the south, which is hot and humid all yearround, particularly from February to May, while the rainy season lasts from May to November. The CentralHighlands have a similar climate to the south, but is somewhat cooler and temperatures can reach freezing in

winter. The temperature in Hanoi can range from 63°F (17°C) in January, to 84°F (20°C) in June. Vietnam has a remarkably diverse climate because of its wide range of latitudes and altitudes. Although theentire country lies in the tropics and subtropics, local conditions vary from frosty winters in the far northernhills to the year-round sub-equatorial warmth of the Mekong Delta.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE & RAINFALL



THE LANDVietnam consists of 5 major geographical zones. In the far North are the Northern Highlands which ring the RedRiver Delta and form a natural barrier with China. The second region lies in the embrace of the hills of the North.This, the Red River Delta, claims to be the cultural and historical heart of the Vietnam. Hanoi lies at its core and itwas here that the first truly independent Vietnamese polity was established in 939 AD by Ngo Quyen. TheAnnam Highlands, now known as the Truong Son Mountain Range, form an important cultural divide betweenthe Indianized nations of the West and the Sinicized cultures of the East. To the east, the Annamite Chain falls off

steeply, leaving only a narrow and fragmented band of lowland suitable for settlement - the central coastal strip.The Mekong Delta, the fifth region, is one of the great rice bowls of Asia producing nearly half of the country'srice, and over the years has been cut into a patchwork by the canals that have been dug to expand irrigation andrice cultivation.

Vietnam stretches over 1600 km along the eastern coast of the Indochinese Peninsula. Vietnam borders withLaos, China and Cambodia. Vietnam is often described as resembling a bamboo pole supporting a basket of riceon each end. The country is S-shaped, broad in the north and south and very narrow in the center, where at onepoint it is only 50 km wide.



THE PEOPLEAn estimated 85% of the population is ethnic Vietnamese (Viet Kinh)who were Sinicized during the 1,000 years of Chinese rule but who havesuccessfully maintained their cultural and ethnic identity. Ethnolinguistic studies indicate that the Vietnamese are a mixture of migrantsfrom southern China, Mon-Khmers, and Thais from the west, andMalayo-Indoensians who arrived over two millennia ago. Vietnam's 54

ethnic minority groups - called montagnards by the French - totalroughly eight million people or about 13% of the national population.Most of these minorities dwell in the northern mountains near the China

border and in the Central Highlands, which comprise about 75% ofVietnam's land area.

Many people of European, North American, Australian, and Asian (non-Vietnamese) origin are temporary residents in Vietnam as expatriateworkers, through marriage and some are permanently settled there.Included in permanent settlers are Europeans of French descent, who are

descendants of the colonial settlers. Most of them left after itsindependence.

Vietnam is a multi-ethniccountry with over fifty distinctgroups (54 are recognized by thVietnamese government), eachwith its own language, lifestyleand cultural heritage. Many ofthe local ethnic groups areknown collectively in the West Montagnard or Degar.

The largest ethnic groups are:Kinh (Viet) 86.2%,Tay 1.9%,Tai Ethnic 1.7%,Mường 1.5%,Khmer Krom (Khơ Me Crộm)1.4%,Hoa 1.1%, Nùng 1.1%,Hmong 1%,others 4.1%

The Vietnamese term for ethnicgroup is người thiểu số or dântộc thiểu số (literally "minoritypeople").



CHANGING MONEY Most major currencies can be exchanged at leading banks in Vietnam,ut away from the tourist centres the US-dollar remains king.

Vietcombank is the most organised of the local banks for changing cashand can deal with euros, pounds and pretty much anything else you arepacking. The US dollar exchange rate worsens the further you get from

he tourist trail, so stock up on dong if you are heading into remoteareas. In small towns it can be difficult to get change for the largernotes, so keep a stack of smaller bills handy.

t’s a good idea to check that any big dollar bills you take do not haveany small tears or look too tatty, as no-one will accept them in Vietnam.

You cannot legally take dong out of Vietnam but you can reconverteasonable amounts of it into US dollars on departure.

Most land border crossings now have some sort of official currencyexchange, offering the best rates available in these remote parts of thecountry.

CREDIT CARDSVisa, MasterCard and JCB cards are now widely accepted in all majorcities and many tourist centres. However, a 3% commission charge onevery transaction is pretty common; check first, as some charge highercommissions than others. Some merchants also accept Amex, but theurcharge is typically 4%. Better hotels and restaurants do not usuallylap on an additional charge.

f you wish to obtain a cash advance from Visa, MasterCard and JCB,his is possible at Vietcombank branches in most cities, as well as atome foreign banks in HCMC and Hanoi. Banks generally charge a 3%

commission for this service. This is handy if you want to take out largeums, as the ATMs have low daily limits.

CURRENCYThe monetary unit of Vietnam is thedong. The U.S. dollar is widely accepthroughout the country. Foreigncurrency should be converted at a Baof Foreign Trade or authorized exchacounters. Visitors are advised to carrUS$ for cash for easy conversionnationwide. Outside Saigon and Hanodong is the accepted form of currencyand it can be difficult to exchangetraveler's checks.

TIPPINGService charges of 10% are added to in most leading hotels and restaurantsWhere it is not included, a tip of 10-1of the bill would be appropriate.

Airport porter/hotel bellboy :$1.00 - $ 2.00 US per bag.

Your tour guide :$10.00 - $ 12.00 US per person per d

Driver/assistants :$ 6.00 - $ 7.00 US per person per day Overnight Halong Bay Cruises:It is customary to tip the crew $ 25.00per person per day.



ETIQUETTEAs a general rule, Southeast Asians admire a calm and consideredapproach to all aspects of life. Open anger or shows of temper should

be avoided. Causing another person to 'lose face' is notrecommended and status- particularly in terms of age - should beaccorded due respect. The traditional Vietnamese form of greeting isto press your hand together in front of your body and to bow slightly.These days, the Western custom of shaking hands has taken over,

Name cards are very popular in Vietnam and exchanging businesscards is an important part of even the smallest transaction or businesscontact.

• To avoid "cultural offenses", here are some tips:

• Do not give sweets to a group of shy children

• Do not leave a pair of chopsticks sticking vertically in a rice bowl. This looks similar to incense sticks which are burned forthe dead.

•

It's rude to let the bottoms of your feet point towards otherpeople.

• When sitting on the floor, you should fold your legs into thelotus position so as to not be pointing your soles at others.

• Never point the bottoms of your feet towards anything sacred,such as figures of Buddha's.

• When sitting on a chair do not cross your legs.

• Always smile and be pleasant.

•

Don't run around complaining about everything. • If you want to criticize someone, do it in a joking manner to

avoid confrontation.

• Expect delays.

• Never show anger.

• Don't be competitive. Treating your interaction as a cooperativeenterprise works better

• Don't act as though you deserve service from anyone. If you

do, it's likely that you will be delayed.• Don't be too inquisitive about personal matters

• Sitting and sipping tea and the exchange of gifts (sharingcigarettes, for example) are an important prelude to any

business interaction. PHOTOGRAPHSIt is polite to ask permission before taking photographs, Some peoplemay take offense.

TAXI Anywhere in the world even aavvy traveler can be takendvantage of by a taxi driver and

Vietnam is no exception. To avoidroblems it is wise to never accept aide with anyone who does notave a working meter and a

isplayed license. One way to havegood Taxi experience is to askour hotel where to find aegitimate taxi. You may be able toet a business card of a reputableaxi driver that you can either call

when needed or arrange to pickou up at a predetermined timend place.

SAFETY & CRIMEVietnam is an underdevelopedountry with more than its fairhare of beggars, pickpockets, andon-artists. Drive-by thieves on

motorcycles and bag snatchers inrains are common. Vietnam isrobably much safer than yourometown, but you must exerciseaution.



TelephoneCountry code: 84. Public telephones are available inpost offices, hotels and shops displaying a telephoneunit sign and at roadside kiosks. To call Vietnam fromthe USA/Canada dial 011 + 84 + Area Code + PhoneNumber.

Mobile TelephoneRoaming agreements exist with most majorinternational mobile phone companies. Coverage isgood in towns and cities throughout the country, withsporadic coverage in rural areas.

InternetInternet is available in many areas of Vietnam; there areInternet cafes in many main towns and cities that haverestricted access to internet sites critical of thegovernment and one party system. Internet café ownersare required to keep customer's personal information,including name, address, and identification numbersfor 30 days.

PostPostal service takes a month, airmail services takesapproximately 5-10 days. Express-mail service takes 5

days or less. Many hotels have a 'mail' drop. PostOffices or "Buu Diens" in Vietnamese are generallyopen 6:30am - 9:00pm, including weekends and publicholidays. International postal rates are similar to thosein European countries. Receiving a package fromabroad can be difficult and time consuming due to thelengthy inspection process and could take weeks.

MediaVietnam's media are tightly controlled by the country's

leadership. The industry has been opened up in theareas of distribution and advertising but not in editorialcontent and access to foreign news providers is limited.In general, the press report on corruption andinefficiency among officials, but they avoid criticism ofthe Communist Party.

ELECTRICITY 110 and 220 volts AC. Voltage surges are common

WHAT TO PACK Dress is normally casual in Vietnam. You shouldpack according to the season and areas you will bevisiting. An umbrella is useful, a good pair ofwalking shoes, a few pairs of light cotton baggytrousers (skirts or dresses), a few cotton blouses ortops, cotton socks and undergarments, 1 sweater,sunglasses, mosquito repellent and a hat to protectyou from the sun. Public restrooms in Vietnamtypically do not have toilet tissue so you may wantto carry a small amount of tissue with you.

Due to restricted weight limits on all the Domesticflights (20kg or 44 pounds) it is recommended totravel light.

HEALTHBefore visiting Vietnam, you may need to get thefollowing vaccinations and medications for vaccine-preventable diseases and other diseases you might

be at risk for at your destination: (Note: Your doctoror health-care provider will determine what youwill need, depending on factors such as your healthand immunization history, areas of the country youwill be visiting, and planned activities.) To have the most benefit, see a health-care providerat least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time foryour vaccines to take effect and to start takingmedicine to prevent malaria, if you need it.

DRUGSIllegal drugs - The rule here is simple - don’t. Prescription drugs - It is recommended to travelwith prescriptions for any drugs you are required totravel with for your personal health.

COMMUNICATIONS



Words of Wisdom-Buyer Beware Bring your purchases home with you. Unless you are prepared to waita prolonged period of time, do not have it shipped -- not even by airfreight. Do not purchase expensive goods of supposed high quality unless youare absolutely sure of what you are buying.

Unless you are an expert in gems, antiques, artifacts, etc., you shouldnot assume that it is of the highest quality or value.

Always take the time to read the charge slips for credit card purchases before you sign them. This may seem obvious; but in the excitement ofmaking a foreign purchase, travelers sometimes overlook this and areunpleasantly surprised when they return home and are billed by thecredit card company. Taking a few moments to review the charge slip

before signing it (and computing the exchange rate to be sure you arecharged the right amount) can save you headaches later.

BARTERING/BARGAININGMost people from developed counties find these issues very difficult.There are no set rules, but the following information and advice may behelpful. The prices for goods in supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, hotels,official transport, basic commodity shops and so on, are usually fixed.Those for fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers from street sellers,motorcycle taxis ('xe oms'), bicycle taxis ('cyclos'), souvenirs, clothes(especially in tourist areas), and goods bought from peddlers areusually variable. To barter effectively, laughter and good humour is anessential prerequisite. When an initial price is quoted, throw up yourhands in exaggerated horror and offer between a third and a half. Youcan then negotiate towards a fair price. Walking away will usuallydetermine whether the last offer really is the last. Please remember thatmany of the people you deal with will be poor, so driving them downto an unreasonably low price is unfair. On the other hand, paying anunrealistically high price will encourage the recipient to regard

foreigners as easy targets and inflate prices even further. Postcardsfrom postcard sellers are almost invariably overpriced - buy yours froma shop! You may come across some remnants of an earlier dual-pricing systemthat is gradually being phased out. If so, it isn't local people trying tomake a fast buck, but simply an official recognition of the considerableincome gap between you and the average Vietnamese citizen.Here are the perfect bargaining experiences from Hitchhiking Vietnam:

SHOPPING

Lacquer ware items, mother-of-pearl inlay, ceramics, colorfulembroidered items (hangings,tablecloths, pillow cases, pajamasand robes), greeting cards with

silk paintings on the front, wood-block prints, oil paintings,watercolors, blinds made ofhanging bamboo beads, Chinese-style carpets, jewelry andleatherwork.

CUSTOMSTourists are authorized to importthe following duty free: 200

Cigarettes, 50 Cigars, 1 Liter ofLiquor, Personal effects of areasonable quantity, small giftitems valued at no more than US$50. There is a limit to the amountof cash that can be brought in. Itis prohibited to bring intoVietnam weapons, explosives, andinflammable objects. Alsoprohibited are narcotics such asopium and cultural materialunsuitable to Vietnamese society.



HOW you bargain

• Rule 1: SMILE. It's like the monster ride at the amusement park. Ifyou're not having fun, get off.

• Rule 2: Don't bargain with the first person who approaches you

(i.e., when looking for a taxi at the airport.) In general the further

you go from the center of action, the cheaper the price. • Rule 3: Don't be afraid to use walking away as a bargaining tool.

You can always come back.

• Rule 4: Don't let pride get in the way of coming back (or Rule #3is useless).

• Rule 5: If you really want something and the price isn't coming

down, give in gracefully. (It's that pride thing again.)

• Rule 6: Don't always assume you're getting ripped off just because you're in a third-world country. Sometimes the pricethey're asking is the real one.

• Rule 7: Bargaining is a time/money tradeoff. If you're in a hurry,

be prepared to pay for it.

• Rule 8: Ask (Vietnamese) fellow shoppers the price of an item before you begin bargaining.

• Rule 9: Always carry small bills. Otherwise all that work is likely

to be for nothing.

• Rule 10: Always bargain in native currency. Conventionalwisdom says anyone who has dollars can afford to spend them.

• Rule 11: If possible, keep going back to the same person until

you've gotten to know him/her. Most third world countries have aname for this kind of relationship. The deal is that you offer your

business on a regular basis and the seller responds by saving you

their best tomatoes (fattest chickens, etc.). • Caveat to Rule #11 Trust but verify.

• Rule 12: No matter what your parents told you, when you're

bargaining it's perfectly okay to lie.

WHEN you bargainAlmost anytime. In general youdon't bargain in a restaurant if tprice is listed on the menu. A loof tourist shops also have pricetags but it is often still acceptabto make an offer. If you don't

negotiate a price before theservice is rendered (i.e., a meala cyclo ride) then you aregenerally responsible for payinwhatever is asked.

WHY you bargainYou bargain to develop socialrelationships and to have fun.Saving yourself some money

should be a secondaryconsideration.



FOODOne of the delights of visiting Vietnam is the amazing cuisine - there aresaid to be nearly 500 different traditional Vietnamese dishes - which is, ingeneral, superbly prepared. The proper way to eat Vietnamese food is totake rice from the large shared dish and put it in your rice bowl. Usingyour chopsticks, take meat, fish or vegetables from the serving dishes andadd them to your rice. Then, holding the rice bowl near your mouth, use

your chopsticks to eat.

Vietnamese food is mostly nutritious and healthy. Cooking methods areconfined to grilling, frying, boiling and steaming, as ovens are not used.The staple is rice, either as grain or flour. The cuisine varies according tothe region. In the north, it is comparatively bland, with a strong Chineseinfluence. Food in the Hue area is spicier, with some French touches. Inthe south, dishes with hot spices proliferate. Each area has its own localspecialities.

PHOThey call it beef noodle soup, and such it is, but so much more. It isVietnam in a bowl. Pronounced like ‘fur’ (but drop the ‘r’), it is beefnoodle soup raised to the nth degree. You can have pho everywhere inVietnam, but it is almost a cult in Hanoi. From the garnish tray, add a squeeze of lime juice. Add beansprouts tothe soup, and a dash of chilli sauce and fish sauce. Lastly, sprinkle it withcoriander leaves, or mint leaves, or basil. Or all of them. With yourchopsticks, thrust deeply to the bottom of the bowl. Lift the noodlesabove the surface and let the dressings you’ve added subsume into the

body of the work. Lay the noodles back to rest. In the next minute theflavours will marry. The more traditional beef variety of pho is called pho

bo, while the chicken is pho ga.

SOFT DRINKS

Vietnam has wide variety of sodrinks, ranging from ‘Coke’ an‘Pepsi’ produced here underlicence to locally produced fizzdrinks and ‘energy-boosting’concoctions. Fruit juices areubiquitous, ‘nuoc chanh’ (watelemon juice and sugar) beingvery popular. Fresh orange juicand other sweet fruits aresometimes served with addedsugar or salt – watch the personmaking it and stop them ifnecessary. Also very popularwith visitors are fruit ‘shakes’:chopped fruit with ice, waterand milk frothed up in a blende

TEAVietnamese tea is mainly green

sometimes with flavourings, andrunk without milk or sugarfrom small handle-less cups.This is the drink traditionallyoffered to people visitingfamilies, friends, offices, shopsand so on. Black tea is alsopopular, but drunk withoutmilk. If you want a traditionalcup of tea with milk, stick to thtourist areas - elsewhere you'relikely to end up with lukewarmwater with a tea bag andcondensed milk. WATERDrink only bottled water or

boiled water.



MON CUON (RICE ROLLS)Rice rolls are produced everywhere in Vietnam, with the most well-known being goi cuon, but the variety that are made in Hanoi, banhcuon, have their own special characteristics. The wrappings of banh cuonare as thin as a sheet of paper, appearing as edible alabaster, soft yetoffering something to the teeth. Ingredients may include grilled pork,

fried bean curd, or vegetables. If you’re really lucky, they’ll add a drop ofcoleopterous essence (a highly aromatic secretion from the gland of atype of beetle). NORTHERN SPECIALTIESThe basic tenets of the north’s cookery are more closely aligned withChina than that of other local regions. Fewer spices are available than inthe south, but the people couldn’t do without black pepper. They use asuperior grade that is mild, yet intensely aromatic, and with a sweetnessthat is unique to this land. Equally important are the sweet and pungent

herbs – basil, mint, coriander, spring onions, and several other tastyleaves. BUN CHABun cha is pressed pork served on a bed on of cold rice noodles anddressed with a few herbs. The meat is always cut from a piece of well-marbled pork. It is marinated in a mixture of sweet, hot, sour and salty,and the resulting product tastes like none of its constituent flavours, yetmore than the sum of its parts.

SNAIL DISHESIn Hanoi there is a type of snail living in ponds and lakes that grows tothe size of a golfball, has a streaked colour, and, while chewy, is verytasty. They are called ‘oc‘. Bun oc are boiled snails dipped in nuoc cham,placed in a bowl of rice vermicelli and snail consommé poured over. Youcan also get bun oc in many seafood restaurants. Oc ngoi are mincedsnails mixed with onion, garlic and mushroom; rolled in ginger leavesand stuffed in the shell of the snail; then stewed. Pull the ginger leaf outand the rest comes along. Oc hap bia are snails are steamed in beer. Tryalso oc xao ca vo (shelled stir-fried snails), oc cuon cha (rolled snail), bun

oc kho (dried noodle and snails).

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGESThe range of alcoholic drinks inVietnam is limited. Apart fromexpensive imported wines andspirits, most drinks available aredomestically produced variationson rice wine, or lager-type beer.Rice wine is drunk neat, oftendirect from the fermentation jarvia a bamboo straw, or distilledinto a spirit, usually mislabelledas ‘vodka’. The wine is also usedas a base for the addition ofplants, barks or animals. Theseare usually drunk for their‘medicinal’ purposes – snakewine is very popular with menwho believe it enhances virility.

In the north, 'medicinal' winesand spirits can be found easily -definitely worth a tasting session.In Hanoi, there is a restaurantthat specialises in fruit wines andliqueurs from the hill tribevillages - our staff will be pleasedto escort you and help you toreturn to your hotel.

Beer comes as variations oflocally-brewed French-style lager,and as ‘bia hoi’. Also known as'fresh beer’, bia hoi is relativelylow in alcohol, produced daily,and served ice-cold. It’s cheap,ubiquitous and delicious on a hotday!



LAU (HOT POT)The lau (hot pot) comes from China. It is a turban-shaped pan containingstock in the middle of which is a charcoal stove (now alcohol fuel isused). The stock is kept simmering throughout the meal. The lau isplaced in the middle of the table, around which is a variety of foods,including rice vermicelli, pig’s heart, liver and kidneys, goat meat, eel,onion and vegetables. The less adventurous might opt for shellfish, riverfish or chicken. Put as much food as you’d like to eat into the pot, give it a

stir, and in about five minutes you’re ready for dinner. Keep replenishingthe pot as you go. It’s rather like fondue, and just as convivial and fun.Depending on the ingredients used, it might be called lau de (goat meat),lau luon (eel meat) or lau thap cam (with many different kinds of meat). SOUTHERN SPECIALTIESThe south grows a greater variety of tropical and temperate fruits andvegetables, and more varieties of spice. Southerners also use more sugarin their recipes, even the savoury ones. Dining in the south is very much ahands-on experience. You will be presented with a plate of fresh lettuce

and herbs. Take a little of the cooked food and place it in the centre of alettuce leaf, add some of the herbs, and wrap the lettuce around the foodand dip it into whatever sauce is close at hand. BANH XEOBánh xèo is a large crepe filled with goodies. The Vietnamese make itwith rice flour and coconut milk, and fill it with meat and shellfish, aswell as vegetables. Bánh xèo is often referred to in English as aVietnamese ‘pancake’. We think this is an unsatisfactory translation, butthere seems to be nothing we can do about it.

Claypot (noi dat) CLAYPOT (NOI DAT)Claypot cookery is very southern, and very satisfying. Claypots areusually small, often unglazed, with a lid, and look little different from aflowerpot with a lid. They were originally used by farmers and fishermenwho had little to cook, few pots to cook in, and little fuel for the fire.

COFFEEVietnamese coffee is mostlygrown in the Central HighlandsRobusta is the usual varietyserved in Vietnameseestablishments – black, thick, avery strong. The minority ofVietnamese people who drinkcoffee usually mix it withcondensed milk – definitely anacquired taste for most foreignvisitors. In the cities, smootherArabica coffee and fresh milk i

becoming popular. For Vietnamese coffee look forthe sign 'Trung Nguyen' - theyare franchised cafés, verycommon throughout Vietnam.For Western-style coffee, visit ttourist areas.

A curious, and expensive, varieis ‘Weasel Coffee’. Arabica beaare fed to a weasel. They passthough the animal’s digestivesystem, are excreted whole,collected, and processed. Thepassage of the beans through thcreature’s intestines is supposedto create a more mellow flavou



CULTURE & THE ARTS

MUSICClassical music is performed in the Hanoi and Ho Chi MinhConservatories of Music. Western types of classical music wereintroduced into the country little more than half a century ago. Sincethen, many Vietnamese performers have won great honors atinternational competitions.

Traditional music has been enjoyed for a considerable time. Bambooflutes, for example, have been found in ancient tombs dating back 22,300years. A flute made out of terra-cotta was discovered at Dong Son inThanh Hoa Province. Bronze drums made by master casters in theDongson culture, between 500 and 200 BC, have been unearthed inThanh Hoa province. Some of the most famous drums historically, theNgoc Lu and Hoang Ha bronze drums, are 2,700 years old. Dan da,lithophones made from sonorous rhyolite stones, have been discoveredin Bac Ai in the Central Highlands, dating back to 3,000-4,000 years ago.

Though heavily influenced by the Chinese and, in the south, theIndianised Cham and Khmer musical traditions, Vietnamese music havea high degree of originality in style and instrumentation. The traditionalsystem of writing down music and the five-note (pentatonic) scale are ofChinese origin. Vietnamese choral music is unique in that the melodymust correspond to the tones: it cannot be rising during a word that hasa failing tone. There are three broad categories of music:

• Folk, which includes children's songs, love songs, work songs,

festival songs, lullabies, lamentation and funeral songs. It isusually sung without instrumental accompaniment.

• Classical (or 'learned music'), which is rather rigid and formal. Itwas performed at the imperial court and for the entertainment ofthe mandarin elite. A traditional orchestra consists of 40musicians. There are two main types of classical chamber music:Hat A Dao (from the north) and Ca Hue (from central Vietnam).

• Theater, which includes singing, dancing and instrumentation.

WATER PUPPETRY, ROI NUOCThis is unique to Vietnam. It is a very old artistic creation of theinhabitants of the Red River Delta. One of the earliest records of the artappears in the Dai Viet su ky toan thu, the complete history of Vietnamwritten in 1021. After reaching a high performance standard in the LyDynasty (1010-1024), it became extremely popular during the TranDynasty (1225-1258). Water puppet shows are tremendouslyentertaining, unique and unbelievably skillful.

.

DANCEAny visitor to Vietnam willsoon become aware of theimportance of traditionaldances. They are not onlyperformed during specialfestivals but in many parts ofthe country are enjoyed byordinary peasants, particularlyafter a successful harvest.During the Tran and LyDynasties, dance troupes wouperform for the emperor onstate occasions. These daysmany forms of dance areconnected with religious rituasometimes they are evenperformed during burial

ceremonies. In Binh Tri TrienProvince, the local wiseman,colorfully clad in a yellow andred costume and wearing ahighly decorative silver helmewill dance on the grave of avillager before the burial.



ART SCULPTURESSculptures in bronze have been unearthed, nearThan Hoa, which belong to the Dong Son ear(between 500 and 200 BC). The most magnificentare the rain drums which are elaborately carvedwith scenes depicting primitive ceremonies such aspraying for a good harvest, for the first rains to fall,and for floods to subside. Exquisite engravings seen

on the famous Ngoc Lu drum from this period showscenes from village festivals which occurred duringthe days of the Hung Kings.

POTTERYThe earliest pottery has been unearthed from earlyNeolithic (Hoa Binh culture) and late Neolithic (BacSon culture) sites. Early pottery was made fromearth and animal wastes and had a very simpleartistic design. The appearance of the potter's wheel

during the Bronze Age led to the evolution of agreat variety of shapes. The appearance of brownstoneware during the years when Vietnam wasdominated by China (1st-10th century) meant thatdesigns from this period, seen in Vietnamesemuseums, show a distinct Chinese influence. Whiteand blue ceramics appeared after the 14th century,many finely decorated with careful hand drawings.By the 15th century, immaculately glazed animalfigures in green and yellow (e.g. horses, cranes and

tortoises) appeared. Contemporary designs have become more elaborate and feature floral motifssuch as lotus, jasmine, chrysanthemums, animalfigures such as doves, nightingales, peacocks andstorks, together with rivers, mountains, lakes andscenes from festivals and everyday life.

MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAYOne of the most original arts of Vietnam is inlayingwith mother-of-pearl. This has been practiced for

over 1,000 years. One of the most famous inlayersin Vietnam was Truong Cong Than, known as thepatron saint of craftsmen, who came from thevillage of Chuyen My in Ha Son Binh. During hisdays as a general during the Ly Dynasty he used toglue pieces of mollusk shell onto wood to createpictures.

EMBROIDERYEmbroidery first appeared in Vietnam in ThuongTin District, Ha Son Binh. One of the bestremembered specialists in this art was Tran QuocKhai, a native of Quat Dong commune in the 17thcentury. She produced beautiful designs in lace,relief and gold thread depicting animals,landscapes, festivals etc.

PAINTINGSixteenth century painters were known for theirdelicacy of design. Many Le Dynasty artistsexcelled at landscapes. Over the centuries paintingon silk has been popularized. Vietnamese art has alively personality of its own. Many art schoolshave been founded in Hanoi, Hue and Saigon;exhibitions are regularly staged throughout thecountry. Many renowned Vietnamese painters

show resistance struggles as one of their mainthemes.



TRADITIONAL PAINTINGPainting done of frame-mounted silk dates from the13th century. Silk-painting was at one time thepreserve of scholar-calligraphers, who also paintedscenes from nature. Before the advent ofphotography, realistic portraits for use in ancestor-worship were produced.

MODERN - During this century, Vietnamesepainting has been influenced by Western trends.Much of the recent work done in Vietnam has hadpolitical rather than aesthetic or artistic motives.

LACQUER WARE (Son Mai)The art of making lacquer ware is said to have beenintroduced into Vietnam after Emperor Le ThanhTon (1443-1459) sent an emissary to the Chinesecourt to investigate the process. Lacquer is a resin

from the son tree (Thus succedanea or R. vernicifera)which is then applied in numerous coats (usuallyeleven) to wood (traditionally teak), leather, metal orporcelain. Prior to lacquering, the article must besanded and coated with a fixative. The final coat ishighly polished with coal powder. The piece maythen be decorated with an incised design, painted, orinset with mother-of-pearl.

RELIGION Four great philosophies and religions have shaped thespiritual life of the Vietnamese people: Confucianism,Taoism, Buddhism and Christianity. Over thecenturies, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism havefused with popular Chinese beliefs and ancientVietnamese animism to form what is knowncollectively as the 'Triple Religion' or Tam Giao.

If asked their religion the Vietnamese are likely to saythat they are Buddhist, but when it comes to family orcivic duties they are likely to follow Confucianismwhile turning to Taoist conceptions in understandingthe nature of the cosmos.

Religion in Vietnam is a confusing affair. It tends to ba rough amalgamation of Buddhism, Taoism, andConfucianism, with a sprinkling of animism,astrology, and local superstition thrown in for goodmeasure. No church or organization wields anyprofound nation-wide influence, thanks in large partto governmental suppression, and observance ismostly an individual or family affair. The constitutionguarantees freedom of religion, albeit with theunsettling caveat that religion may not be used “toviolate state laws or policies,” which has translated toarbitrary restrictions on organized religious practice.Today, religious persecution is uncommon, except inthe central highlands, and particularly the provincesof k L k and Gia Lai, where minority Protestants arestill harassed by local police. Vietnam’s home-grown “triple religion” derives fromMahayana Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, butthe extent to which each informs one’s spirituallifestyle varies wildly from person to person. BUDDHISMMost adherents of the Triple Religion classifythemselves as Buddhists, but some refer to themselveas non-religious, though they all make offerings atBuddhist pagodas and engage in ancestor worship.Buddhism was born in the 6th century BC with the



enlightenment of Prince Siddhartha “the Buddha” Gautama, a prince-turned-ascetic-turned-sage. Buddhists seek to attain nirvana, the state ofenlightenment wherein one is free of all desire and pain. This can only beachieved by following the Eightfold Path—Right Understanding, RightThought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort,Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. Tough luck, lefties. Mahayana (“Great Vehicle”) Buddhism is Vietnam’s favorite flavor; theolder Theravada (“Way of the Elders”) school, popular in the rest ofSoutheast Asia, is practiced mainly in the Mekong Delta by ethnicKhmer. Mahayana, unlike Theravada, teaches that anyone, not just theclergy, can attain nirvana. TAOISMOn a basic level, Taoism is a means of understanding the role of man inthe natural and metaphysical order, relating everything to the all-powerful Dao (“the Way”). Simplicity, balance, and the unified nature ofeverything are hallmarks of the Taoist philosophy. It also propounds theharmony between yin (stillness/contraction) and yang(movement/dilation). The indigenous spirits and demons of ancientVietnamese spirituality are accounted for in the triple religion via Taoistcosmology. Consequently, Taoism was the subject of government censureafter 1975 and until recently, as socialist Vietnam cracked down on whatit perceived as antiquated superstition.

CONFUCIANISMWhere Taoism and Buddhism have clear religious characteristics,Confucianism inhabits a more secular, philosophical area of Vietnamesepopular thought. Confucius, born in 551 BC south of latter-day Beijing,stressed the importance of sacred rituals and hierarchies of respect: sonsshould obey fathers, wives should obey husbands, and subjects shouldobey rulers. Social harmony is more important than the needs of theindividual, and filial piety, everyone’s favorite Confucian catchphrase, isof great significance. The individual is judged by his self-cultivation,

benevolence, and loyalty, and noble birth does not ensure noble worth.

The importance assigned to family resonates deeply within the

CATHOLICISM The Roman Catholic Churchenjoys official recognition by theVietnamese government androughly six million followers(about 8% of the population). Itwas introduced to Vietnam by theFrench in the 17th century, andthough the Church’s memberswere harassed by the Communistgovernment after reunification,Catholicism was finally acceptedas “a positive force” in recentgovernment statements.Demographically, the balanceremains skewed to the south,where Catholics fled to after thecountry split in 1954, although HàNÿi and H=i Phòng arewitnessing a mild Catholicrenaissance of sorts.



Vietnamese psyche, and is an essential component of Vietnameseculture—even for those who don’t practice the Triple Religion.Hòa H=o. Established in 1939 by HuÇnh Phú S%, Hòa H=o(“Harmony”) Buddhism is extremely low-profile; official estimates placeits following at anywhere between 1.5 and three million. This quietreligion has no clergy and rejects most ceremony, emphasizing spiritualover material wealth. Value is placed on individual acts of worship andservice to others, as manifest in the Four Debts of Gratitude—one’sallegiance to family, homeland, mankind, and the Buddha. Not until 1999did the government give official sanction to one branch of Hòa H=o; therest are still seen as dissident political groups. The religion’s devotees areconcentrated in the Mekong Delta, where HuÇnh Phú S% did themajority of his teaching. CAO AI Cao ài (“High Palace”), another Mekong Delta creation, was founded in1926, seven years after founder Ng® Vn Chiˆu was visited by anenormous floating eye (see “Someone to Watch Over You,&rdquo). InCao ài iconology, the eye is the symbol of the Supreme Being; among thereligion’s recognized prophets are the Buddha, Jesus Christ, andMuhammad. According to the nearly two million Caodaists, all religionsshare the same origin and recognize the same Supreme Being in someway. The purpose of Cao ài as a whole is to unite all worshippers bydemonstrating their fundamental sameness, while each practicer’s goal isto unite him or herself with the Supreme Being.

PROTESTANTISMProtestants are the mostpersecuted religious group in

Vietnam. Some have beensummarily hunted down andexecuted, their churches torndown and their leaders beatenor sent to prison. Thoughrepression has slackenedsomewhat, reports ofharassment persist, and thegovernment has restricted travto the Central Highlands,preventing outsiders fromgetting accurate confirmation either persecution or the state’reassurances to the contrary. OTHER MINOR RELIGIONVietnam’s 65,000 Muslims tento be comprised of ethnic Chàand immigrant communities;many Chàm practice Bani Islawhich is made distinctive by a20-page Qur’an and prayers toChàm and Hindu divinities.Roughly 50,000 Hindus, mostethnic Chàm and Indian-Vietnamese, reside along thesouthern central coast and inHCMC. Baha’i and the Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-DaySaints are both mainly confine

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Vietnam Destination Guide